This informal name describes fear associated with a stepmother. Family disagreements, personal boundaries or a response to genuinely harmful behaviour should not automatically be labelled a phobia.

Possible triggers

Anticipating a family visit involving a stepmother, receiving a call from her, or being expected to spend time together.

Name origin

Latin noverca means stepmother. It is combined with phobia, from Greek phobos, meaning fear.

A fear of being watched can affect public places, work, social situations and moments where you feel visible to other people. It may lead to avoiding attention, monitoring where others are looking, changing how you behave or leaving situations because you feel observed.

Possible triggers

Becoming the focus of a group's attention, noticing someone staring or completing a task while others watch.

Name origin

From Greek skopein (to look at) and -phobia.

Also known as

Scoptophobia, Ophthalmophobia

A fear of bodily sensations or the body itself can affect everyday situations involving bodily sensation, physical symptom, body change and internal sensation. It may lead to monitoring sensations or bodily changes, avoiding particular situations, seeking reassurance, or organising routines around preventing the feared outcome.

Possible triggers

Paying close attention to bodily sensations, looking at your body or encountering a discussion of bodily processes.

Name origin

From Greek sōma (body) and -phobia.

A fear of darkness can affect everyday situations involving dark room, lights off, pitch black and shadow. It may lead to delaying bedtime, staying alert when tired, changing sleep routines, needing reassurance, or avoiding situations associated with sleep or night-time.

Possible triggers

Examples include switching off the bedroom light, entering a dark cinema, noticing dusk approaching or preparing to sleep in a dark room.

Name origin

From Greek nyx (night) and -phobia.

Also known as

Achluphobia, Noctiphobia, Myctophobia, Scotophobia, Lygophobia

The focus is material that is decaying, rather than germs or dirt in general.

Possible triggers

Finding spoiled food, encountering rotting plant material or noticing the smell of decay.

Possible name origin

The origin of this name is unclear. The ending -phobia comes from Greek phobos (fear); a reliable derivation of the first part has not been established.

The concern centres on needing to rely on other people.

Possible triggers

Having to ask for help, accepting assistance or anticipating relying on another person.

Possible name origin

The origin of this name is unclear. Although -phobia comes from Greek phobos (fear), the origin of the first part in this particular name is uncertain.

A fear of eating can affect everyday situations involving panic around food, avoid meals, swallowing and mealtime. It may lead to restricting foods, eating very cautiously, checking sensations while swallowing, avoiding meals or relying on a narrow set of familiar choices.

Possible triggers

Sitting down for a meal, taking the first mouthful or being expected to eat during an outing.

Name origin

From Greek sitos (grain or food) and -phobia.

The fear can concern faeces or the act of passing stools, rather than dirt in general.

Possible triggers

Using a toilet for a bowel movement, encountering animal droppings or anticipating cleaning soiled material.

Name origin

Copro- comes from Greek kopros (dung); phobos means fear.

Also known as

Scatophobia

A fear of Halloween can affect everyday situations involving spooky decorations, haunted attraction, October 31 and costumes. It may lead to avoiding certain places, images, stories or times of day, checking surroundings, seeking reassurance, or staying away from reminders of the feared idea.

Possible triggers

Seeing Halloween decorations, receiving a Halloween invitation or encountering costumed visitors.

Name origin

Named after the Celtic festival Samhain, combined with -phobia.

The concern is being harmed by a burglar or another person intending harm.

Possible triggers

Hearing about a local burglary, noticing an unexplained noise at home or anticipating being targeted by crime.

Name origin

Combines the Latin root sceler- (crime or wickedness) with Greek-derived -phobia (fear).